Senior Program Associate (protection) - 2 Positions

Organizational Context

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN-related agency established in 1951, promotes humane and orderly migration. IOM Venezuela is implementing a multisectoral humanitarian response following devastating earthquakes, focusing on providing life-saving assistance and addressing protection risks for displaced and affected populations. The Senior Program Associate (Protection) role supports the coordination, implementation, and monitoring of IOM Venezuela’s protection and humanitarian programming under the Chief of Mission and Protection Officer.

Job Purpose

The Senior Program Associate (Protection) plays a crucial role in supporting IOM Venezuela's protection and humanitarian programming, particularly in the context of post-earthquake recovery. This role involves providing operational, programmatic, and administrative oversight to ensure the effective implementation of protection activities and related projects. The incumbent will ensure compliance with IOM regulations, donor requirements, and humanitarian standards. Key contributions include supervising personnel, coordinating work plans, monitoring budgets, supporting donor reporting, strengthening partnerships, and promoting the integration of protection principles across all activities. The ultimate goal is to ensure the timely delivery of project results and enhance IOM's support to vulnerable populations affected by displacement and natural disasters.

Responsibilities

The Senior Program Associate (Protection) is responsible for coordinating and monitoring the implementation of protection projects, ensuring targets, timelines, and budgets are met. This includes supporting the development of work plans, procurement, and spending plans. The role involves supervising and guiding program support staff and field teams, monitoring program expenditures, and tracking budgets. The incumbent will assist in preparing donor reports, project updates, and proposals. Responsibilities also include coordinating data collection and analysis for monitoring and reporting, ensuring program activities adhere to IOM policies, donor regulations, and protection standards. The role requires liaising with implementing partners, local authorities, and other stakeholders to facilitate effective implementation and coordination. Additionally, the Associate will contribute to project design, needs assessments, and the development of new initiatives, support monitoring and evaluation activities, and identify operational challenges to propose corrective actions. Capacity-building for staff and partners on protection programming is also a key duty.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of progressive experience in humanitarian, protection, migration, recovery, or development programming is required. Experience supporting general protection, community-based protection, child protection, and gender-based violence (GBV) activities, including direct work with beneficiaries, is essential. Experience in coordinating multi-sectoral projects funded by institutional donors, programme management, monitoring, reporting, budgeting, and implementation oversight is necessary. The role also requires experience supervising staff and coordinating with government counterparts, UN agencies, NGOs, and implementing partners. Experience preparing donor reports, work plans, budgets, and project proposals is also needed.

Skills

Key skills include strong program and project management, planning, organizational, and coordination abilities. Excellent analytical, reporting, and problem-solving skills are essential. The ability to supervise and support multidisciplinary teams, build partnerships, and engage stakeholders is crucial. Excellent drafting and communication skills in both English and Spanish are required. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and experience with information management and monitoring systems are necessary. The candidate must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, with a strong understanding of donor compliance and results-based management principles.

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